The British Open will move to NBC and Golf Channel in '17 as part of a 12-year deal that "doubles the value of the golf tournament’s media rights," according to sources cited by Ourand & Lombardo in this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. The deal ends a relationship "that spans more than half a century with ABC and ESPN." ESPN was scheduled to carry the tournament in '17, but the R&A "opted out of that final year to sign with NBC Sports Group." Starting in '17, the British Open’s weekend rounds "will return to broadcast television." All four rounds currently air on ESPN. Sources said that NBC will pay an average of $50M per year, an "amount that doubles" the current $25M per year from ESPN from a deal that took effect in '10. NBC "outbid both ESPN and Fox Sports, which made an aggressive play for the rights." Few details "could be determined about the specific talks." In addition to the increased rights fee, the R&A "was swayed by NBC’s plans to cover the tournament." NBC Sports Group has "found success with weekend morning European programming," like the EPL and F1. Sources said that the R&A was "most energized by NBC’s commitment to market the event along the lines of 'Breakfast at Wimbledon.'” Meanwhile, for the first time since its launch in '95, Golf Channel "will obtain live match rights to one of golf's four major tournaments, a significant coup for a channel that is in 78 million homes" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 6/8 issue). GOLFDIGEST.com's Geoff Shackelford notes NBC's coverage "will be live," thus avoiding any "potential criticism for the network that has often tape-delayed Olympic and tennis coverage" (GOLFDIGEST.com, 6/8). In N.Y., Richard Sandomir notes NBC nearly two years ago "was stung" when Fox won the rights to the U.S. Open. NBC Sports Group Chair Mark Lazarus said that he "would have pursued talks to acquire the British Open" with the R&A "even if NBC had held on" to the U.S. Open (NYTIMES.com, 6/8).
SHARK WEEK: Fox golf analyst Greg Norman in a first-person account for GOLF.com wrote since getting the lead analyst job, he has been "watching a lot" of golf on TV. Norman: "I do it with the sound off. I look at the screen and think, 'What would I say if I saw that during the U.S. Open?' I’m getting a lot of intel on certain players by speaking with their coaches. I want to be able to broadcast the truth and some valuable insight, not just speculation and opinion. There’s enough of that on TV already." Norman wrote Fox has been "extremely successful in delivering new ways to view sport." Norman: "Our team has to be careful, though. There’s a traditional element to golf that can’t be ignored, but nobody’s going to deny the power of technology, social media and instant access. The goal is to merge the old and the new" (GOLF.com, 6/7).
